Shannoblic

Thank you judokrab.

Thank you UbonJoe. I appreciate your advice [as always!].

Dear All, When applying to renew a Marriage Extension is it possible to ask for an extended 'approval date'? I appreciate this is a long time off but I have to do planning well in advance financially. I need to be in the UK on February 14th 2023 as my granddaughter [7 years] is in her very first professional stage dance show. My current marriage extension expires on 17th March. I would like to fly to the UK on 13th February as I want it to be a total surprise for her. I would then like to stay 3 - 4 weeks in the UK before returning. I appreciate I could [probably] apply for the new extension before leaving but am concerned about returning and the 'approval date'. Apologies for asking so early but a trip like this for me does require a deal of planning. Thank you for reading this.

Maybole - I am just awaiting my new UK passport. If you go on the UK Embassy Bangkok website and look under 'Consular Services' you can request the stamp transfer letter. It is sent by snail mail to you at no cost. You have to fill in the details yourself. I already have the letter even though still awaiting passport.

Thanks for the replies. My own licensing centre is only 10 minutes away and they are very helpful so I think that when my new passport arrives [still in UK processing] I will go along and ask them. When I got my new licences they had not updated my address and they changed that when I asked them with no hassle. The police here are very good but a bit strict on accuracy. Never had one impolite or any issue whatsoever but I like to keep everything in as perfect order as I can.

DrJack - does the same apply to driving licences? The bank I knew about and will do but not sure about the licences. Do they issue new ones [mine are fairly recent] with the new passport number on them? Thanks

Plus7 - when I applied for one for my Thai wife I went to the French Embassy in Bangkok and got one immediately [free of charge] after signing a form to say I would be responsible for her. Don't know if that helps. By the way I am UK citizen so maybe Brexit changed things.

I agree Dr Jack. However, raising matters about law when dealing with police is not really advisable when just doing what they want is so easy. My local Immigration Office is very rural and small [I could fit the whole place in my lounge!]. Saying 'sorry' to the police and accepting what they say didn't cost and everything went smoothly. I would rather go along with them that open a can of worms.

Jen65 - sorry if I have confused you. I can only tell you for definite what happened to me.

Jen65 - it might help if you read the topic I submitted in March "Caution from Immigration Police". I went to the UK Nov/Dec and then back to my home which is my registered Thai address. When visited by the Immigration Police in March as part of my new marriage extension I was cautioned [politely] that leaving the country and returning WAS required to re-register - but travelling in Thailand was not. As is pointed out many times, different Immigration Offices apply different rules. .

Thanks Dr Jack - my Embassy [UK] doesn't provide letters either so I have been told. Makes me wonder why I pay all those taxes in the UK!

Steve & Dr Jack - my passport is currently submitted for renewal [via an agent in Pattaya] and I expect to get the new one in a couple of months as the waiting time is currently 10 - 12 weeks. What is the 'Embassy letter'? My local Immigration is very friendly and although I do not foresee problems I always like to be prepared. Also - a quick question - what happens when I have to do my 90 days before my new passport arrives. My current one is obviously in the UK 'system' having been sent for renewal so I don't have a passport to take to Immigration with me. I took photocopies of it [including extension which is 'Marriage']. Can you see any problems?

Dear All, I am not going to comment on the 'visa' side of this issue, but I do think a significant factor is the comments made about language. After over 16 years in this country my Thai is EXTREMELY limited. I just do not have the mental ability to learn foreign languages. It is not because I am 'uneducated' - I hold both Bachelor and Masters degrees from UK Universities. It is just I have a mental barrier to languages. In a past life I was set to a Berlitz language school by one employer but despite my best efforts I just could not learn the language. Not all people are equal and although some can assimilate languages easily others have different mental abilities to assimilate other things. Please don't criticise members for not learning the Thai language when they may well indeed have similar mental barriers that I experience.

Thank you all for your kind replies, comments and advice - it is very much appreciated. Having received a copy of a receipt from a kind member I now know what to ask for and what Bangkok Bank can supply. I have experienced a change of requirements in the past when the officer-in-charge changed at my local IMM Office. What I was planning to do was have a 'belt & braces' support system. Once again - thank you all for your time and kind assistance.

Thanks tonray. I am sure the manager and I just have a communication problem as he really is a nice guy, I will use google to translate Credit Advice Receipt and hope that does it. Peterw42 - my bank book shows the money coming in but I have been advised that when I do the monthly bank book update one of these receipts is advisable.

Could some kind person please let me have a copy of the Foreign Transfer receipt they get monthly from Bangkok Bank - obviously with personal details blanked out. I have spent several hours trying to get my local branch to do it but despite calls to the Help Desk and even Head Office by the manager have got nowhere. I even translated the document title some kind person gave me in the forum but to no avail. The branch manager is a great guy - I have no problems whatsoever with his efforts but we still seem to have an understanding problem. I thought if I could show him a copy it would solve the issue. Thanks.

Dr Jack - if your question about re-entry was directed to me then no - I got a re-entry permit for my extension and was away for just under 4 weeks. I returned under 'Test & Go' with a Thailand Pass and went through the procedure before my wife collected me at the hotel and we drove home. My renewal extension is under consideration at the moment and I returned in December.

Thanks for your replies. As I said, there was no real problem just a a caution for the future. Ubonjoe - I have downloaded those documents and will read them - thank you.

Hi All, Yesterday we had the home visit from the Immigration Police [our 3rd]. No problem - the two officers were polite, efficient and got on with the paperwork. The [slight] problem arose when the [apparently] more senior officer commented that I had not informed Immigration when I returned home from a tri[p to the UK. My understanding from my posted question a while ago in the Forum was that as long as you returned to your registered address you did not have to re-inform Immigration. The kind advice in the Forum was this was the case. 'NO' said the officer. Even if you spend one night away in a hotel you have to inform Immigration of your return. There was no problem - just a cautionary comment for the future. I may have got it all wrong in my understanding but I am not going to argue with Immigration Police.

Thank you ubonjoe. I guess I am just the kind of guy who likes to have backups. The Bank is very near me and no hassle to get to so I just thought 'belt & braces' was the way to go.

Thank you tonray - checking now.

Could some kind person please tell me the exact thing I ask Bangkok Bank for to give me a receipt every month for pension transfers from abroad? I use Wise and get the FTT mark but have been advised a monthly receipt is a backup. My local Bank is fine and polite but it is very rural and they do not understand foreigners very well. If someone could give me the Thai for what I need I would be very grateful. Thanks in advance.

Thank you Ubonjoe.

Can someone give me a quick reminder please - how soon before a new extension [Marriage] can an application be made. Current one expires on 17 March. Thanks guys.

Captain Monday - I also do not have a 'smartphone' but it was not an issue either at Birmingham, Amsterdam [transit] or Bangkok. There was no requirement for me to have the Morchana App and it was never mentioned during either of my flights or the hotel I did my overnight quarantine at. There are a lot of us who do not use smartphones and this is recognised and seems fully acceptable.